Fake World
by Kaiser Ryouga II
Summary: Part 3 of the Izayoi Series. The focused Hokuto has set her eyes on a last confrontation to bring back Kairi. But should she be more concerned with her own demons? (Based on the Street Fighter EX Series).


_FAKE WORLD_

"_I made a promise. To myself and to others. I was given a mission that I refuse to shirk and at which, I cannot afford to fail. Never doubt my word, Kairi. I will bring this situation to an end. Even if it means my own." _

Ginza might not have been the best district of Tokyo to crash in, but there was very little that Hokuto had in the way of options. She had little money left for travel from city to city. The journey from Osaka had cost more than she had expected. And with the combined price of accommodation and food, the bare minimum was a staple move. Which meant renting in one of the cheapest hotels in the city. Even the rats felt superior to the stinking smells and dirty floors that adorned this disgusting building. In the night, the sounds of the background were marked with the barks of dogs and screams of assault. These were the kind of dives that you heard of in news reports. Innocent young girls 'disappeared' in places like these. Crime lords held on to these holes with an iron grip. Seducing the clueless into their webs of drug trafficking and theft. And though she hated the idea of perpetuating that cycle with the little money she had received from her father, it was necessary to keep up the search for Kairi. Having to backtrack to Osaka for money would have been shameful. Once the cash flow fell through, it would force Hokuto to take up part time work. That it turn would take more time away from her mission.

Her mission.

Hokuto ran a hand through her hair as she lay back on the flimsy bed of this repulsive rented one-room. Gone were the garbs that were worn for battle, she was dressed only in the simple street clothes that she had donned to make herself blend in. Around her wrists, waist and head were bandages. Though the wounds had almost healed, the pain still remained. After all her battling, after all her efforts, Hokuto had met with Kairi. She had finally caught up with him, and faced him in the arena. But through the fight to the end, Hokuto had been the one face down. She couldn't believe it. That power she saw. That outrageous strength that Kairi exuded with each motion. In swift strikes, Kairi, Hokuto's once loving older brother, had brought her down. The warnings her father had given her were so much more accurate now. At first, Hokuto really did believe that he was over-reacting. But when she saw Kairi unleash that dreadful power, no warning of it could ever be known as overblown again.

"_Kairi," Hokuto thought solemnly. "What has happened to us? This time so many months ago ... we were a simple family. Now ... I am forced to fight you in battle. How many more times will we have to fight before this is all over?"_

It was strange. After the beating that Hokuto had taken, most people would have given up. Thankfully, Hokuto was unlike most people. Tasting that defeat just made Hokuto's resolve stronger. Still, her mind could not help but recall seeing Kairi's power in all its glory.

Such a short time ago...

_Kairi groaned as his body sat up, the glass around his feet and legs shifting with him. Hokuto watched him stand and ready himself, then followed the idea. Again it was Kairi that acted first but he did not attack his apparent sister outright. The searching rebel bent his knees and tilted his body back slightly, then raised his arms and placed both of his fists together. Hokuto waited for what was to happen next, though it appeared that she couldn't quite tell what he was trying to do. As soon as his taped fists began to jerk with the energy they were gathering, Kairi pulled them both back and yelled 'ha!' at Hokuto. _

_It was only through her brilliant training that Hokuto managed to avoid the circling and drilling energy of the Shinki Hatsudou. The black-haired woman launched herself skyward and avoided it as best she could, the stray energy briefly singeing the material of her robes. Hokuto descended near Kairi, pushing her leg out and retracting the second. Kairi copied Hokuto's earlier example and sidestepped this aerial strike, then came in full throttle. Kairi landed a searing punch to Hokuto's beautiful face, the younger woman gasping with the snapping speed of it. Kairi followed this punch with a second from the other hand, that struck Hokuto in the stomach. The last blow was a roundhouse kick that connected with Hokuto's neck and shoulder. She slid back from the severity and Kairi withdrew his leg in arrogance, smiling at his less perky sister. No matter how ruined and miserable his current life was, it all seemed irrelevant when he was fighting. The ecstasy of battle was a brilliant trade off from endless months of searching. _

_Hokuto gritted her teeth and tightened her fists. There was a strong resolved in her eyes that screamed defiance. If ever there were a woman so fully devoted to the duties placed on her shoulders, it was Hokuto. The girl inched backwards step by step and then charged forward in that sliding motion of hers. As she neared Kairi her elbow was drawn back and then thrust forward at him. _

"_Chugeki Hou!"_

_Kairi saw this coming. By now he had caught on to the fact that Hokuto's fighting movements favoured guarding, retreating, then charging. He drew up his leg and Hokuto's elbow slammed against it, nullifying the desired result. Hokuto attempted a second blow with both hands to follow the Chugeki Hou, so Kairi again blocked, this time with both arms. The two were locked against each other for a brief moment, and reflexively they jumped away from each other and put some distance between them. Kairi landed and smiled, his dark ponytail swaying in the breeze that was escaping into the room via the broken window. Hokuto's face was far less cheerful and a bead of sweat appeared at the temple of her skull. Kairi could see that she had been walking around for a while. She was probably not as lively as she normally would be due to this. It made him wonder. Maybe he was the one that Hokuto had been searching for. Which also made him wonder what issues there might be between him and Hokuto. Not to mention the 'Nanase' girl she mentioned._

"_I made a promise." Hokuto mumbled to herself. "I have to bring him back home and help him get through this. I have to carry out the mission that was given to me. If not anything else, I must do that."_

_Hokuto confused Kairi by dropping her fighting stance. But she was not handing in a white flag. More the opposite. Her right arm fell to her side while the left rose up horizontally. Her face and her body remained perfectly quiet, calm and tranquil. It didn't even seem like she was planning on doing anything. But then a curious sounds struck Kairi's ears. It was a strange sound, like someone was drawing back the tense string of a bow. Kairi didn't see the energy blast the came, but he sure felt it as a flare of missile-like energy struck him. Kairi grunted with surprise as the speedy Kiren eki energy bolt collided with his stomach. A stream of energy tagged allow Kairi's trail when he was knocked off his feet and blasted into the tall factory wall behind him. His back hit it with a ferocious slam that echoed around the room, and a trail of blood slipped from his slightly parted lips. Hokuto watched as Kairi loosely slipped downwards to the ground, then gathered oxygen for herself. It was obvious to anyone that she hated having to do this. She physically winced when she saw the blood on Kairi's face. But she remained firm._

"_Kairi." Hokuto spoke her brother's name slowly, her breath far weaker due to the strain of the Kiren eki. "Please stop this."_

_Kairi's bloodstained lips curled into another smile. Hokuto would have paid more attention to what he was saying if she wasn't so consumed with the dark vacuous energy that was surrounding his body. "I knew pulling my punches would lead to this." _

_Hokuto was aghast. "What on earth ...?"_

_Dark and ancient energy began to rapidly flow through his changing body, making firm each tendon and ligament that happened to be strewn about his body. The bones located underneath flesh and muscle now hardened and his scars began glowing with the same evil light that had enveloped his body. Kairi limply stood upright. Though it may have seemed like he was vastly weakening, Kairi had never been stronger. Or as dangerous. _

_The limpness in Kairi's disposition became into firmness, as the energy around him began to subside. The dark energy washed away like so many regrets and what was left was a Kairi that would be changed forever. The most noticeable of these changes being Kairi's hair. The flowing black tresses that had once decorated his head and capture the heart of many a woman, was now the colour of soulless grey. The other were his hands. Both of his taped hands were now set alight, his fingers encased in furious dancing blue flames. Kairi spread out both of his arms so they extended to either side of his body and Hokuto's eyes burned with shock. _

'_I can feel my heart pounding in my chest!' Hokuto thought urgently. 'This is the Dark Way that I was warned of. I was too late to save him.' _

_Kairi's voice suddenly soundly a lot more striking. Even his vocal chords had been effected. "The last of the seal has finally been broken. This power is now... mine."_

That look in his eyes.

That insane look. Hokuto just could not get that image out of her mind. Her older brother, the man that Nanase had looked up to, the hopeless dreamer, she had actually been frightened of him. Hokuto would have never imagined that she could be frightened by her family. And to think that it was all brought along by the ravages of a spiritual power. The real shocker was that something so unimaginable could bring so much problems to one family. And that someone so kind, someone like Kairi, could fall to the evil ways so easily. But no matter what, Hokuto had to do all she could to bring him back. If failing now was necessary, she would learn from it and keep trying. That at its most was all that Hokuto had to strive for. Now all she had to think about was where to find him.

Hokuto turned her head around to look at the table by her bed. She had no more leads other than the one delivered to her by an odd stranger. It was an invite to a tournament. There was no guarantee that it would lead to Kairi, but all Hokuto could do was hope. Hope that he would be there. And this time, she would make no mistakes.


End file.
